Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf:
not specific
Exclusive fishing zone:
50 nm in the Sea of Oman; continental shelf limit, continental shelf
boundaries, or median lines in the Persian Gulf
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
Iran and Iraq restored diplomatic relations in 1990 but are still trying to
work out written agreements settling outstanding disputes from their
eight-year war concerning border demarcation, prisoners-of-war, and freedom
of navigation and sovereignty over the Shatt-al-Arab waterway; Iran occupies
two islands in the Persian Gulf claimed by the UAE: Tunb as Sughra (Arabic),
Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek (Persian) or Lesser Tunb, and Tunb al Kubra
(Arabic), Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg (Persian) or Greater Tunb; it jointly
administers with the UAE an island in the Persian Gulf claimed by the UAE,
Abu Musa (Arabic) or Jazireh-ye Abu Musa (Persian)
Climate:
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
Terrain:
rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small,
discontinuous plains along both coasts
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese,
zinc, sulfur
Land use:
arable land 8%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 27%; forest and
woodland 11%; other 54%; includes irrigated 2%
Environment:
deforestation; overgrazing; desertification

:Iran People

Population:
61,183,138 (July 1992), growth rate 3.5% (1992)
Birth rate:
44 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
8 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
64 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
64 years male, 66 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
6.5 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Iranian(s); adjective - Iranian
Ethnic divisions:
Persian 51%, Azerbaijani 25%, Kurd 9%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Lur 2%,
Baloch 1%, Arab 1%, other 3%
Religions:
Shi`a Muslim 95%, Sunni Muslim 4%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and
Baha'i 1%
Languages:
58% Persian and Persian dialects, 26% Turkic and Turkic dialects, 9%
Kurdish, 2% Luri, 1% Baloch, 1% Arabic, 1% Turkish, 2% other
Literacy:
54% (male 64%, female 43%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)